lament

Posted on July 6, 2020July 6, 2020 by lookandhear

As part of a recent 24hrs of prayer, here in Manchester Diocese, I created a painting script on the theme of lament. Using ArtRage 6 I recorded my prayerful progress creating an image inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci and the words of Psalm 130. Leonardo’s Delluge paintings along with his notebook on the images capture the depth of lament and turmoil a storm can cause. In this Covid-19 pandemic there has been a real sense of the storm raging. With hope stirring in us that not all storms last forever, we took time to lament together and search for God in the midst of the tempest. Led by Psalm 130 it was an enjoyable creative exercise crying out to God as paint was poured onto the digital canvas. I encourage you to prayerfully watch the video below.

Creative Response?

Rolling Waves of Lament

Try taking some paper and use thick brush strokes and deep blues and move in wave like forms. Use acrylic ideally or poster paint. Let some time pass as you pray using Psalm 130. The Hebrew translations of the text ‘Oh Lord hear my cry’ would have used the name of God- Yahweh. Lord with its capital L” in our modern translations would have been the name Yahweh. Rob Bell in his Nooma Video Breathe at 4:14 describes the Hebrew vowel sounds of Yahweh as being like breathing. I love this concept of God’s very name being like breath. During your prayer painting try breathing deeply and saying the name Yahweh. As the paint drys add more shades of thick wave like rolling forms and lament over all that we have loved and lost in recent times.

Black Lives Matter

Posted on June 18, 2020June 18, 2020 by lookandhear

My face is red with weeping, and deep darkness is on my eyelids… My spirit is broken, my days are extinct, the grave is ready for me.
Job 16:16 and Job 17:1

Today’s lectionary led us to Job 16:1-17:2. The passage dives us deep into the depths of lament. I wonder how often you allow yourself into the depths of lament? Job helps us to go to a place of raw honesty. A place where we need to pour out our hearts. A place where hope can emerge from the depth of despair. We are preparing for a 24 hour period of continuous prayer across Manchester diocese from midday on Sunday 28 June to midday on Monday 29. I look forward to being involved in posting content onto the Thy Kingdom Come Facebook page. Our theme will take people from a place to lament to a place of hope.

The image on this page is part of a series of photographs by James C. Lewis. They have crossed my path as we make our stand and say that Black Lives Matter. This photograph helps us to re-imagine who Job was. “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job” (Job 1:1) This is such a wonderful book opening, introducing us to the homeland of Job. Uz is sometimes identified with the kingdom of Edom, roughly in the area of modern-day southwestern Jordan and Southern Israel. The peoples skin actual tone may not be the tone of the Job you imagine in your minds eye. Now is the time to reflect on the diversity of faces of our bible heroes. Now is the time share our faith stories. Stories of variety and wonder that unite all people no matter what creed or colour.